


Way Back to You

by Beanstalk



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, F/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-06-27 07:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19785664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beanstalk/pseuds/Beanstalk
Summary: It has been 2 years since the final battle and Wanda can’t seem to have herself move on from the fact that Vision never came back when she did and that Vision is never coming back.But her world suddenly turns upside down when she sees someone with the same face as Vision's human form.





	1. Welcome Back, Wanda

**Author's Note:**

> I have actually seen an AU gif set about this on tumblr before and tried looking for it to give tribute to the person who made it. Then I mixed it up with a local movie theme to add more depth into it.  
> It's been a long time since I last wrote a fic so please bare with me. But constructive criticism and comments are deeply appreciated. More characters might appear as the story goes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda comes back to life after the snap and her first thoughts were to find Vision. She thought Vision came back when she did, that even his death had been undone. But her world just falls apart when she finds out that he never came back and he is never coming back.

“I love you”

As soon as she heard him utter those three magical words, she regretted everything. She wanted to pull her hand away, direct both forces against Thanos to push him further away and grab Vision to fly him out of Wakanda just in time. She wanted to try every option possible to save the universe without sacrificing the man she loved with her entire being.

He loves her. It was the first time he has said it to her. And she wanted to say it back. 

But just when she decided to pull away and save Vision, she saw a smile slowly form on his face and she knew that the deed had been done. A flash of gold illuminated in the jungle of Wakanda, a sign that the mind stone has been successfully destroyed and Vision along with it. 

Wanda’s fingers dug into the ground, feeling the warm soil press against her skin as she grieved for her love. She thought losing Pietro would be the last time she would feel herself die. She thought that no harm can ever come to Vision because he was part Vibranium, making him indestructible and that he had a mystical stone in his possession, practically making him a god. But she was wrong.

She looked up and saw Thanos, his face in shock as he witnessed how the mind stone shattered before him. When Thanos looked at her, she kept a steady gaze, locking her eyes with his to let him see the pain that he has caused her and the victory that the universe has achieved. But he looked away, a smirk on his face as he stood on the exact same spot where Vision and the stone disintegrated.

“Today I lost more than you could imagine, but now is no time to mourn. Now, is no time at all.”

Closing his fist that held the gauntlet, a green circle formed in front of him and her eyes widened as she saw Vision slowly come back to life. She felt her heartbeat go fast as she tried to get on her feet and stop the Titan from harming Vision. 

“No!” She cried but was flung like a mere insect, tossing her far away from where Vision knelt.

She tried to regain her strength, tried to stand or fly, whichever would be of help to get herself faster to Vision. But as soon as she found her legs, she saw his body, drained from all color, all life, a crater now on his head where the mind stone previously rested.

She felt her heart break into a million pieces. She even swore that she felt herself stop breathing. He came back to life and his sacrifice was made into a joke. New tears started pouring down her cheeks as she went for his body, cradling him in her arms and whispering to him the words she never said.

“I love you. I love you. I love you.”

She pressed her forehead against his, the warmth of the stone now gone as she held him tighter. 

He came back. He came back and she could have had the chance to save him, pull him out of the fight when she could. But she was too slow, too small for the titan. And now, he will never know just how much she truly loves him. 

Her arms kept hold of his being, the world around her a blur, a disturbance and she wanted to get away. She heard some shouting of names, some screams but she didn’t care anymore, she didn’t want to care anymore. She then looked up when she felt a weird sensation tingling inside her body. She looked at her arms then at her hands and she felt herself slowly fade, not just emotionally and mentally, but physically as well. 

This was it. This was her time and she was relieved to be going. She didn’t want to stay in a world where she was the lone survivor and the people she loved were in oblivion. But now, she will be joining them and she felt relief envelope her being as she turned into dust, finally feeling at peace.

* * * * * 

A flash of bright light burst in front of her, making her shield her eyes with her forearm for protection. As soon as she felt the light disappear, she took her arm away from her face and blinked rapidly to rid of the white spots that formed in her vision. 

She felt her chest tighten and her breathing quicken when she saw that she was back in Wakanda. She didn’t understand. She thought she was gone for good and she was happy with that arrangement. But now she’s back and she’s angry for being back. 

“Wanda?” She looked to her side and blinked when she saw the person who called her name.

“Sam?” Her voice was raspy, it felt too long since she last talked. “What’s happening? Where is Vision?”

“I-” Sam just looked around, his arms slumped on his sides.

“Questions can be asked later once we’re done.” A man in blue garments and a red cloak suddenly appeared from a gold circle, another man following behind him, this time with green garments. “The others have found a way to save the universe again and they need our help.”

Before they could formulate any other questions, both men in ancient tunics stretched their arms before them and started making circular motions, forming a golden portal before them. The rest of the resurrected joined them and passed through the portal, Wanda looking around and seeing that they were back in the compound, but was now in ruins. 

She walked around, scanning her surroundings as Sam followed behind her, continuously asking her questions that she asked herself as well. But all she could think about was looking for Vision. If she came back, it could be possible that he came back too..right?

She tried to look for Tony, for Bruce, for Steve, for anyone who would probably give her answers to her questions. She walked around, Sam’s ramblings now gone, her eyes moving everywhere for any signs of the man she loves. 

But her feet came to a halt when he heard a familiar voice echoing throughout the battlefield. It was him. And she remembered him like it was just yesterday. How he ruthlessly killed Vision, how he easily tormented her by killing him again. She remembered every ounce of pain she felt that very day. 

As memories came flashing in her mind, she felt every fiber of her body sing with power. Eyes and hands burning red and scarlet mist enveloping her body. She blasted herself from the ground and flew immediately towards Thanos’ direction, landing hard in front of him and successfully catching his attention.

“You took..everything from me.” Her voice was rage rather than sadness. 

“I don’t even know who you are.” Thanos said nonchalantly.

“You will.” 

With unlimited power seeping through her, she made the objects around her float along with her and one by one, she threw them at Thanos as he advanced towards her. She could feel her power bursting from every nerve of her body, her soul guiding her in giving the purple demon a taste of what damage she can really do. 

Every blow, every burst of energy was easy as training for Wanda. She didn’t know how she was able to amplify her strength in such a way, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was this purple asshole dead and she will make sure that she will be the one to finish him off. 

Thanos wielded his weapon and obliterated everything Wanda was throwing at him. He was visibly angry and frustrated but Wanda was only getting started. As soon as Thanos slammed his weapon towards her, looking as if he would slice her in half, she stopped the blade just inches away from her and her eyes burned to a fiery red, her fingers bending in weird forms and slowly the blade and Thanos lifted into the air. 

She got the upper hand. She has Thanos under her control and he did nothing but squirm in her hold. She smirked as one by one, the monster’s armor flew off his body, exposing his flesh for easy hits. Both his arms were twisted back, making him scream in pain and Wanda grin in triumph. Just a little more time, she needed a little more time and this asshole was dead. 

Her concentration was then stopped when Thanos commanded his army to rain fire on everyone, including his own. She released Thanos and shielded herself with her powers, cursing under her breath at her failure to kill him at once. 

She ducked and ran as far as she can, waiting out the fire rain and proceeded to look for her allies. She found the spider kid, she once fought in Leipzig, cornered with the gauntlet in his hold. She knew that if she cannot kill Thanos the way she wanted to, then keeping him away from the glove was the second best thing. 

She landed by his side and was joined shortly by the other female warriors. She was only familiar with Pepper, Okoye and Shuri and knowing the names of the other females was not her priority. As they walked off together to take the gauntlet, her mind suddenly trailed off as she noticed that Natasha was not there to join them. _Maybe she’s stuck with either Tony or Steve._

They did their best, keeping the glove away. Flying and running, throwing it to anyone who had the advantage, like a game of basketball. She fought off the remaining enemies, keeping the path clear to help the current person with the burden of holding that cursed gauntlet.

The goal was to get it to Tony. Of course Tony would know what to do. And just as soon as the Iron Man got hold of it, Thanos grabbed his arm and everyone suddenly felt that all hope was lost. 

Thanos laughed at Tony. Mocking him for his attempt to try and change the inevitable. But being the proud monster that he showed he was, he missed Tony’s final trick. Just when everyone thought that they lost, they saw Tony’s arm embezzled with the infinity stones. Each and every one of it stuck in his hand. Thanos froze, his face shifting to disbelief. Wanda couldn’t make up what Tony was saying but a sudden flash of light burst from where he was and every being that wasn’t their ally started fading into dust, including Thanos.

* * * * *

After the battle, even if Pepper offered, none of the new Avengers, even Steve, agreed to rebuild the compound. They were people too and they were allowed to mourn. The death of Tony and Natasha was indeed a great loss to the team. Not just in the sense that they lost an Avenger, but they lost a friend and family. What was worse was that they never got Natasha’s body. No body to bury or honor, only her memory.

With the rest of them scattered and wanting to make a new start in life, Wanda took the offer of Pepper of staying in her previous apartment before she moved in with Tony. It was a promising space in upstate New York. A quiet neighborhood that helped her during her darkest nights. 

It was 3 in the morning when she woke up from another familiar nightmare. Her entire body was damp in sweat, causing her clothes to cling on her uncomfortably and her breathing heavy as the image of Vision dying repeatedly under her power played continuously in her head.

She stood up and walked out of her room and towards the kitchen, making herself some tea in an attempt to calm her nerves. Once the tea was ready, she cradled the mug in her hands and took her seat on her small yet cozy couch, looking out at the illuminating lights of New York from her window. 

Flashes of memory moved in and out of her mind. A memory of Vision joining her in looking out the window when she couldn’t sleep. One where he made her favorite tea. And another where they spent all evening curled up with one another on the couch in the compound, talking endlessly about everything. 

It has been 2 years since the final battle and she can’t seem to have herself move on from the fact that Vision never came back when she did and that Vision is never coming back. 

_As soon as the fighting had seized, she searched for everyone she knew. She first saw Sam, laying down on the ground, panting heavily from the aftermath of the fight and told her that he never saw Vision. She next saw Bucky, seated on the ground and gave her the same answer to her question. Then she saw Steve. She was reluctant to face him at first, knowing that he was grieving for Tony’s death, but she had to know. She needed to know once and for all._

_“Steve.” She called out and the Captain could only glance at her._

_“I’m happy to see you, Wanda. I’m glad you came back.” His voice was soft and tired._

_She felt an itch at the base of her throat, wanting to ask immediately her question. She saw him look up at her and her eyes grew wide when she felt that he knew what she was thinking._

_“Vision..he’s in Wakanda.” She felt her hopes slowly get lifted. “But he’s still the same. We tried, but we couldn’t.” And all at once, her hope faded into dust._

They said that Tony tried to rebuild him. Tried his best to restore what he can but there were numerous risk into bringing him back to life and each and every one was explained to Wanda. 

She made her own theory, thinking that if they put back the stone in Vision’s head, he would come back. But Dr. Strange, the man she met when she first came back, told her that the stone came from a different time and the possibility of having old Vision back was zero percent.

She got furious. They assumed results without even trying. She cursed at them and cried and screamed for not even trying more options in bringing him back. But once she calmed down and Bruce and Helen explained everything to her once more in hushed tones, she realized that they were right. That Vision was truly gone and there is no way for her to get him back.

They offered her time to say goodbye to Vision before he was to be buried. The burial was her decision. Everything that concerned Vision, they gave Wanda sole control of what to do. No one protested, not even Helen Cho and Bruce Banner, who were his creators, his parents, doubted what she thought Vision would want. 

_He was dressed in a black suit, his hands folded over his stomach where he held a single stem sunflower. Wanda remembered him telling her that it was his favorite flower._

_She looked down at the man she loves, her hand pressed against his as her thumb stroked on his cold hands. She remembered how warm his hands were, how they held her tight when she woke up from nightmares and how warm they made her feel when she got cold. How soft they were when he caressed her face and held her hand. She never wanted to let go of them._

_As Steve whispered to Wanda that it was time, she pressed a kiss on the pad of her index and middle finger and placed it gently against his lips. "Rest now, My Love"_

Tears started to stream down her face. She clutched tighter on the mug in her hands and succumbed to the misery that started to envelope her once more. It has been 2 years since the final battle and she can’t seem to have herself move on from the fact that Vision never came back when she did and that Vision is never coming back. And she is never moving on.


	2. Happy Birthday, Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda celebrates Vision's birthday by following the tradition they made in the past. But something takes Wanda by surprise in one of her destinations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the crappy chapter but thank you for receiving chapter one with such love. I honestly was planning for this to be a one shot but the ideas just kept flowing in and I can't keep myself calm heh.  
> Comments and kudos are deeply appreciated.

It has been three months since the last time Wanda has woken up in the middle of the night. She had been working on getting enough sleep to keep her energized for the day and she had admitted to herself that this has been quite an accomplishment. 

Sitting up from the bed and stretching her limbs, she smiled widely and picked up the photo of Vision that sat on her bedside table. She leaned over and pressed a soft kiss over his image. She was pretty much lucky to have saved a few of their photos from the ruins of the compound. Some were terribly destroyed but some were still in good condition for restoration.

“Happy Birthday, My Love.” She whispered to the frame and looked at it with loving eyes. “What do you want to do today?”

She pressed another kiss on the photo before placing it back on her bedside table and headed towards her bathroom to take a shower.

She has thought long and hard if she should be celebrating Vision’s birthday this year. The last 2 years have been terrible that when his birthday came, she would spend the entire day clutching his photo and crying until sleep took over her. But today was going to be different. She decided to pick herself up and honor her beloved the way that he should be on his birthday. 

**From: Steve Rogers** **  
** **It has been a rough 2 years, team. But I hope you still want to get back in the game. Fury and I will be holding a meeting at the new SHIELD facility to confirm the lineup of the new Avengers. If you receive this message, it means we want you to be part of it. It is not an obligation but we will be happy for you to be part of it. Rest up and I’ll hopefully see you in 2 days.**

A smile formed on her lips when she read the message, thinking about finally seeing all her friends for the first time in years. It also amused her that Steve was now calling for meetings through text messages. Indeed Tony Stark has taught him well.

 **To: Steve Rogers** **  
** **I’ll be there.**

She replied in an instant. There were no questions to be asked nor doubts to be raised as she knew that this was what Vision would have wanted for the both of them, saving the world together. But now, she will be doing it for the both of them.

Once she was all dressed up in ripped jeans, a black tank top and a crimson cardigan, she made her way to the door and left for her first destination of the day.

Although Vision doesn’t need any sustenance, he loved going to an Italian restaurant called Stan’s. She was thankful that she caught it on a lean time, immediately making her way to their usual booth and ordering the usual dishes. A slice of the supreme and a single order of spaghetti bolognese. 

Stan’s bore so much memories of Vision. It was one of their safe places when the silence of the compound was too much for her to bare. She remembered how he even found this place, immediately asking her to accompany him to check it out. But being born with synthetic tissue and vibranium, going out to the city was not exactly an easy task.

_“Wanda?”_

_“Hmm?” She hummed, not bothering to look up from her book._

_“How do I look?”_

_She hummed once again, but this time in confusion to the question. A startled gasp left her lips when she saw an unfamiliar figure before her. She stood up at once, her body tensing from the presence of the stranger._

_“Wanda..It’s me.”_

_She tilted her head to the side and slowly advanced towards the stranger. Once she was at arms length, she looked up to study the face of the man. Pale skin. Blonde hair. A pointed nose and thin lips. She felt a familiar aura towards him. But once she saw his eyes, pools of deep blue, she gasped once again and stepped back, her hands lifting to cover her mouth._

_“H-How?” She asked in disbelief._

_Slowly, the man flickered, pale skin turning crimson. A smile etched on his face once he revealed his true identity. “Practice.”_

_“I- I never knew you can do such a thing, Vizh.” She blinked and walked closer to the now crimson man, holding him at arms length and examining his body, trying to analyze what happened._

_“Just like how I manipulate my clothing, I found out that I can manipulate the way I look.”_

_“Well don’t do that. You look absolutely horrible.” Wanda said and rolled her eyes before pressing her palm against Vision’s cheek. “You look best like this. I like you like this.” Her voice was soft._

_If Vision could blush, it was happening to him at that moment. He rested his hands over a polite area on Wanda’s waist and smiled at her comment. “I just.. Maybe we can now go to Stan’s? Please?”_

_The look on Vision’s face was enough to melt her heart. So how can she deny him of his request? “Okay.. Fine.” She smiled. “But only when we go to Stan’s. When we get back, I want you back to your handsome self.”_

She chuckled at the memory. How Vision practiced for days just to come up with a human form so that he can visit an Italian restaurant. The ratings of Stan’s must have completely intrigued him that he had to go to such lengths just to experience it. 

As soon as her food arrived, she thanked the waiter for his service. She then reached into her purse and took out her wallet, opening the leather money holder to a photo of Vision and placed it in front of her. If people stared, she didn’t give a damn. With everything tragic that has happened to her so far, prioritizing what the public would think or say about her was the least of her concerns. She was thankful that no one was giving her weird looks nor question what she was doing in her booth. The aftermath of the mass disappearance and the final battle was still taking a toll on the majority of the public that they would rather be concerned with their family and loved ones than some girl eating with a photo in front of her.

Her continuous change of appearance was also giving her the advantage. Her hair was back to black and her face was now more mature than the angry little girl they kept seeing on television in the previous years. Now, she was just a simple girl in a restaurant.

When Wanda finished her meal, she paid her bill and moved to stand from her booth. But her feet stopped her from her trail when a man passed by her and took a seat on her previously occupied booth. She didn’t know why, but her body seemed to be malfunctioning. She turned her head to look at the person sitting in the booth and she felt her body freeze.

The man had pale skin, blonde hair, a pointed nose and thin lips. She felt a familiar aura in him which made every hair on her body stand.

_It can’t be._

This man had the same facial features as Vision’s human form. She cannot be mistaken as she has looked into that pale face countless times. Not only was the man’s face familiar, but his outfit as well. He was in a navy blue sweater with three buttons running down from the collar and jeans. Almost similar to the outfit Vision wore in their hotel room in Edinburgh.

“May I help you with something, Miss?” 

She blinked when her thoughts were interrupted. She faced the speaker, ready to give her reason to why she was staring when a sudden chill ran up her spine when both their eyes meet. Her green eyes were met by his deep blue ones and she was sure that she can feel her heart begin to fail. To add more to her supposed heart attack, the man spoke in an English accent, his voice just a few tones lower than Vision's. She didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know how to respond to the situation unfurling before her.

“Have we met before?” Was all she heard. 

Before the man could even add to his question, she ran. 

Wanda bolted as fast as she can. Bumping against a few pedestrians, even getting cursed at but she didn’t care. She wanted to put as much distance as she can from the man who looked exactly like Vision’s human form and herself.

Central Park was Wanda’s next destination and she was happy that the weather was being exceptionally kind to her. She got out of the cab when she arrived and began walking along the familiar path. 

Just like Stan’s, the park was one of their safe places. It had become their tradition to head over to the park after their lunch at Stan’s during each one’s birthday. But since it was Vision’s special day, she headed over to a hot dog stand, bought a bun and made her way to the lake, hoping to find some ducks she could feed. 

_“I saw in this television show of an English man that didn’t speak that feeding ducks in the park was a common thing humans do.”_

_Wanda just looked at Vision, not quite understanding what he was trying to say._

_“Would you accompany me to Central Park to feed the ducks by the lake, Wanda?” Vision smiled his boyish shy smile and Wanda was immediately under his spell._

It still amazed Wanda, even after seven years since his death, how Vision would enjoy doing the simplest of things. Memories of him appreciating the beauty of nature, giving love to even a spider or an ant and petting the random animals that passed by them filled Wanda’s head and she could feel herself loving him even more despite his passing.

A smile grew on Wanda's face when she saw a bunch of baby ducks gathered up just by the bench she and Vision frequented. She felt herself sprint a bit, not wanting the adorable creations to waddle away. 

Successfully taking her seat on the bench, having occupied the usual right side as Vision always took the left, she took out the hotdog bun she bought earlier and tore up small pieces of it and laid them on the ground. The happy little ducklings gathered up around her feet and began pecking at the treats that were given to them.

Once the ducks have finished all of her offered bread, they dispersed from her feet and waddled towards the water, their furry yellow tails wiggling on the surface. 

It was her time of silence. Her time of peace. Her time to envelope herself into happy memories of her and Vision. But as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, she couldn't shake away the image of the man she saw earlier at the restaurant.

"Vizh? I saw someone who looked like your human form today at Stan's." She said to the air, hands wringing against each other. "He looked exactly like you that I thought it was you. And he sounded just like you and he was dressed just like you." Wanda pulled her legs up on the bench and wrapped her arms around them. 

She felt so confused and lost to why she saw what she saw. She had accepted Vision's death and everyday, she mourns for her beloved. But she has come to make amends with herself that this was how her life is now. A life without Vision. She was getting better. She even believed she was better. But now, she saw that familiar stranger and felt her world shift, the tectonic plates crumbling from beneath her and she doesn't know how to keep herself steady. 

"I miss you.." She whispered against her knees, burying her face on the caps and released unwanted tears.

A sudden loud echo of quacks took her attention, making her look up from her knees to scout what was happening. Upon glancing quickly, she saw what seemed like the same group of ducklings that gathered around her gathering around a man just by the side of her occupied bench. She sat up in curiosity, watching the ducklings eat another batch of offered bread. 

When she looked up at the giver, her body froze. Her muscles giving out when she saw the same man from earlier now feeding the ducks in Central Park. When their eyes meet once again, a soft smile formed on the man's lips and to her surprise, walked closer towards her.

"You're the girl from earlier right?" Wanda just stared. "At the restaurant? Stan's?" She wasn't moving. Wasn't even sure if she was still breathing.

"I feel like I've met you before." The stranger continued, his smile not fading. "I'm Victor, by the way. Victor Shade." He extended his free hand towards Wanda, his hair slightly falling over his eyes.

A sudden panic crept over Wanda’s skin when she saw his extended hand. She didn’t know if she should take it or just leave him hanging and leave. But the aura of this man has her drawing in, finding herself not wanting to coil away now that they were this close. 

Taking a deep breath, her body finally cooperated with her brain and she reached up to wrap her hand around his big one. Her eyes grew wide upon the contact, making her body tense once again when she felt a familiar sensation, a familiar glow radiating off of the strange man. 

She looked up. And to her surprise, she saw that his eyes displayed the same emotions that were running wildly throughout her body. She was about to say her name, introduce herself, but her throat just grew dry and the next word she heard sent her heart plummeting down to her stomach.

“Wanda?”

How did he know her? How did he know her name? Has he recognized her from the past news articles about her and the Avengers? But no one has recognized her since the snap. Her body grew frantic, immediately making her retract her hand all too quickly. She stood up from her seat and grabbed her bag, not wanting to be in this confusing cloud that was surrounding her anymore. 

"Wanda.. wait!"

Again, she ran. She ran as fast as she could out of the park, an echo of her name coming from the lips of the man filling her ears until it was all just a buzz in her head.

Her last stop for the day was at her favorite cafe to order her favorite cake. Though upon arrival, she was all too nervous and panicky that she stuttered when dictating to the staff her desired flavor.

Thanking the heavens that she was able to score the last piece for the day, she wrote down the words she wanted decorated on the cake and waited at the side of the counter. She was hunched over at the side, her eyes moving from her watch to the front door, not wanting to bump into that Victor Shade person again. 

Once she got the cake, she stormed out of the store and hurried her way back to the apartment. She didn’t dare look back to check if the stranger would be there. She just kept her head down and raced back to her apartment.

As soon as she arrived at her pad, she locked the door and flicked her wrist to produce an orb of scarlet, illuminating the room in a muted crimson shade. She unboxed the cake, sticking in the candles shaped as the number 1 and 0 and lit them up one by one. As she sat herself down on the dining table, she took out Vision’s photo once more and set it in front of her. 

She started to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in a mix of English and Sokovian like they used to do. She kept her eyes locked on his image as her lips mouthed the words of the song. Memories of him swaying his head from side to side as she sang filled her mind and made her smile when she saw his smile. 

New tears flowed down her face when she was done with her song and she whispered the words that were written on the cake into the air. _Tu îmi ții inima. La multi ani._ After making a wish, she blew out the flames of candles all at once, the scarlet orb dying out with it and bathing her in darkness.

* * * * *

_“Today I lost more than you could imagine, but now is no time to mourn. Now, is no time at all.”_

_Closing his fist that held the gauntlet, a green circle formed in front of him and the shards of Vision and stone floating back to where it exploded._ _But instead of Vision, it was Victor’s body Thanos was holding and suspending in the air._

_She screamed. She screamed as loud as she could but no sound was coming out from her lips. She tried to run. Tried to save the innocent civilian but her body was unmoving, like she had turned rock hard. She tried screaming again when she saw Thanos’ hand tightening around Victor’s neck, his pale skin turning purple as he struggled for air and his life. She flailed her arms wildly, attempting her to release scarlet energy, but just like her voice, her powers were gone._

_As Thanos continued squeezing the life out of the human, she stopped struggling and gasped when she saw Vision’s body then Victor’s, flicking alternately in the hold of the purple monster. She heard both their voice, screaming in pain, becoming one. Then a glow of gold filled their surroundings, pushing against Wanda’s body._

It has been three months since the last time Wanda has woken up in the middle of the night. And that night, she broke her winning streak. 

She woke up in a jolt, 3am beaming from her clock and her body soaked in sweat. She didn’t understand why she was having that dream again. And to make everything worse, she saw Victor in it. 

She couldn’t understand why a stranger she just met that day would pop up in her dream. And why would that certain stranger appear in such a way. She was so confused. 

An itch grew in her body. An itch to know why she was now seeing Victor in her Vision related dreams. An itch to know why this man looked like the human form of her love and why they have the same shade of blue eyes that bore deep within her soul. 

She wanted to know. She suddenly had an urge to talk to Victor. To ask why he kept saying that he possibly knows her. To why he knows her name. She wanted answers as her brain began working overtime.

“Vizh..” Tears started streaming down her face. The stress of the day final catching up on her. “What are you doing to me? Who is Victor?” 

She sighed. She knew it was impossible. She felt that it was impossible. But with everything they have been through and everything they have seen and experienced, an android made from synthetic tissue and vibranium learning to fall in love, unearthly stones finding its way on earth and giving extraordinary powers to simple human beings, a neurosurgeon that can see 4 billion different timelines, an ant-man, a wasp woman and a spiderman, how can anything be impossible anymore? 

She picked up Vision’s photo and pressed a kiss on it before she rested her forehead against the glass of the frame. 

Could reincarnation be possible? Was the universe playing a cruel trick on her? Has she stepped into another universe without her knowing? The questions continued to build up in her head, feeling every strand of her hair in her entire body stand from such thoughts. She wanted answers and she wanted them ASAP. And she knew she had to start with Victor Shade.

She took her phone and dialed a number, pressing the device against her ear and prayed to the heavens that the person she was calling would pick up.

“Hello, Clint? I need your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the name from Victor Williams to Victor Shade. Yes, it was a dick move since I've already posted this chapter but I felt that it was wrong of me to change Vision's human name.


	3. Victor James Shade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of Clint, Wanda was able to know more about who Victor Shade really is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the late update but writing this chapter has been very challenging. I've been trying to match the information in this chapter with the ones in the movie.  
> For a little enlightenment, the dates here were based on the movie release of Age of Ultron and Infinity War. I re-watched some scenes and tried counting the days that lead up to the snap. So I assumed that they were given a couple of days to prepare for Thanos before his army attacked Wakanda.  
> Also, I used Paul Bettany's real birthday here except for the year. And I think that there are a lot of mistakes in this chapter so I'm sorry again. (peace sign emoji)

The new SHIELD facility is a five-story building in Manhattan. It didn’t house the same advance technology that it did back in the day but it has a good enough system to keep their day-to-day job done. Nick Fury, the director, wasn’t sure if he was still supposed to call the facility SHIELD, but with enough push from the Captain, they both decided that keeping the name would be better to have the public feel more at peace.

Inside the meeting room that was named after Tony Stark, the contacted heroes and enhanced individuals gathered around the table, light chatter filling the room. Wanda, Sam and Rhodey were laughing at another one of Sam’s stories. Bucky was looking at a collection of Cassie's photos which Scott was showing off and Carol Danvers was conversing with Peter Parker, the pair seemingly have grown close after the final battle. 

“Are we all here?” Nick Fury said as he arrived in the meeting room with Steve trailing behind him, looking around at the people gathered.

“Barton and Banner have withdrawn from any Avenger tasks and have agreed to remain as an emergency contact instead along with T'Challa and Dr. Strange.” Steve answered as he took a seat beside Bucky. “As for Thor, we haven’t heard from him since but what we know is that he is with Quill and his group.”

“Very well then. This will have to make do.” Nick Fury nodded to the group and took his seat beside Steve. “The reason Cap and I called you folks is because we believe that it is time to bring the Avengers back on their feet.” He fiddled with some papers and folded his hands on the desk. “It has been a tiresome two years but we feel that we have to keep our eyes on the world again.”

“There hasn’t been any reported crimes yet but we have to be alert and be prepared at all times.” Steve joined in and an image of the Avengers compound flashes on the screen before them. “Despite our refusal, Pepper has decided to rebuild the compound for us to stay in and train. It has the same layout, inside and out, just like how Tony modeled it. So I trust that you guys would know your way around it.”

“Uhmm.. Mr. Captain America, Sir?” Peter raised his hand.

“Parker.” Steve gestured towards the boy for him to ask his question.

“I still have school and I don’t think Aunt May would approve of me living in a different place.” Peter suddenly felt shy and the whole room was filled with light chuckles.

“It’s okay, Peter. You can come to the facility during training days or when your school work allows you to.” 

“And me, Captain, I’ve been away from Cassie for too long and I wish to stay with her. If it isn’t too much to ask?” Scott too raised his hand, feeling suddenly shy from his question.

“So..it’s only Lang and Parker out of the compound?” Nick Fury asked. “Anyone else?”

* * * * * 

“Are you okay with moving back in the compound?” Clint asked while he sipped his coffee, looking at Wanda with concern etched on his face.

“I’ll be fine, Clint. Steve and Sam will be there and it’ll be just like before.” She showed him a smile and dropped herself on her couch before booting up her laptop. “It beats being alone here anyway and I’m sure Vision would have wanted to move back too.”

Clint nodded in understanding and stood from his seat, taking Wanda’s laptop from her and started typing rapidly against the keyboard. He then took out a device from his jacket pocket and pressed it against the side of the computer’s screen, wearing another device on his index finger and thumb before spreading his fingers wide and swiping it across the air. Wanda’s apartment was then filled with holograms, the information and images of Victor Shade surrounding them. “Heh. Stark Tech.” Clint chuckled as he waved his fingers towards Wanda. “This was what you asked for.” 

Wanda’s eyes widened in amazement, unbelieving the holograms that gathered around her. She then took Clint’s hand and swiped it across the air, smiling in awe when the holograms moved in command. 

“What are you up to kid?”

Wanda looked at Clint, her voice filled with nervousness. “Clint, please promise me that whatever I tell you, you will keep an open mind.”

Clint looked at Wanda, his face etched with concern, but nonetheless, nodded in agreement and gave her an encouraging smile. “I always got your back, kid.”

“So, his name is Victor James Shade. Recorded Date of Birth is the 27th of May, year 1990. He was found on the steps of St. Mary’s Orphanage in Westminster, London on the same month and year.” Clint read the files in front of them while Wanda stared at a holographic image of a young Victor Shade, age 5, posed in front of the orphanage’s school along with the other children.

“He was found? He has no parents?” Wanda asked and Clint scanned another panel of information. 

He shook his head. “It says here that he has no record of any immediate family members and distant relatives, alive and dead. Kid’s practically alone.” Clint moved his fingers and pulled out another information. “But the owners of the orphanage, Edwin and Maria Hudson were the closest ones he had for a family.”

“And apparently, this Victor fellow is one smart kid.” Clint continued. “He graduated as Magna Cum Lauda from the University of London through a scholarship and was able to score a job as a Senior Software Systems Developer for a private company in London.” He nodded his head, impressed as he read the list of Victor's contributions to the company. "He's created the entire company's security system and handles the main database of information. He’s like a young Tony Stark if you’d ask me.”

“But what does it say about these?” Wanda pointed at several images of a brain x-ray. 

Clint hovered his hand over the images and moved it in the air, medical records, brain scans and video clips appearing before them.

“On March 2018, he was taking his bike for a spin when a speeding car hit him head on.” Clint pressed his finger against the hologram of the video clip and flinched when the sound of a woman screaming and car horns blaring filled the tiny apartment. “Holy Shit!” 

The video showed a grainy black, white and gray intersection, with Victor riding his bike from the right, about to cross the street to get to the other side. A black speeding SUV then hits him hard, catapulting him and the bike from the ground. His body landed a couple of feet from the accident area, his head bashed up and covered in blood with his bike bent and broken just across from him. The SUV, on the other hand, ended up hitting a pole, shooting the driver out of the vehicle through the windshield, his bloody body hanging from the hood.

Wanda gasped and covered her mouth in shock as she watched the video before her. She couldn’t believe how such tragedy had fallen upon the man. Pity washing over her as she watched the medical team pick Victor up from the ground and roll him into an ambulance. 

“I’m surprised that he’s still alive.” Clint sighed and waved his hand to tuck the video away. “Should we still continue?” Clint looked at Wanda, shock still etched on her face as she nodded in response.

Moving his fingers again, the medical records hovered in front of them. Clint scrolled through each one and stopped at a file with the supposed diagnosis of Victor’s condition.

“He was pronounced dead on arrival when he was brought into the city hospital. Lucky enough, the staff was able to revive him but due to the head trauma and severe brain damage, he fell into a comatose state.” Clint shook his head as the story of the stranger unraveled before them. Several photos of the brain scans Wanda saw earlier aligned in their sight. Each scan the same as the last, showing black markings on Victor’s brain.

“He was held in the Intensive Care Unit facility for 2 months. The hospital didn’t know if he would still wake up since he was depending solely on life support.” Clint scrolled through the other files, picking out another video clip and playing it.

Wanda blinked when she saw the colored video of Victor, dressed in a hospital gown, following the instructions of lifting his arms, facing the sides and stating his name and other personal information that the doctor gave him. “This video was taken the day after he woke up.” A new set of brain scans came to view, showing red marker circles on the area of the brain where the black markings previously resided. "It's like nothing happened." 

“When did it say he woke up?” Wanda asked, looking up at Clint.

“Uhmm..” Clint checked the time stamp of the video. “May 2, 2018.” Clint then went silent when a memory passed through his thoughts. “The day after Laura and the kids disappeared.”

“It's also the day after Vision died.” Wanda replied, her heartbeat racing as she tried piecing something in her head. “Clint.. Do you believe in reincarnation?” She asked with caution, looking at Clint with wide and steady eyes. 

There was a pause. “What do you mean?” 

Standing from his seat, Wanda walked towards Clint and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. “I want to show you something.”

Clint was silent.

“Do you trust me?” Wanda held her hand up towards his head, showing him what she intended to do.

He nodded.

Slowly, Wanda moved her fingers and scarlet mist seeped out from the tips. Clint closed his eyes, trying to keep his nerves calm when he felt a sudden push. 

_Clint saw himself standing on cobblestones, the night embracing the town along with a little rain. He looked around and walked along the street, trying to figure out where he was. “Edinburgh.” He whispered to himself when he passed by a souvenir shop._

_“So there's a 10am to Glasgow to give us more time together before you went back.”_

_Clint turned his head when he heard a familiar voice echo through the streets. He walked towards it, wanting to make sure who was speaking. His eyes then widened when he saw Wanda, hand in hand with a tall, male blonde, walking up the street._

_He knew this was an illusion. He knew that this was just a memory playing in his mind. Clint moved closer, standing almost beside Wanda to see the face of the man she’s with. A shiver then ran up his spine, when he saw the man who was holding her and asking her to stay._

_“Victor?” He whispered and watched the couple look into a store, witnessing the attack in New York on the television._

_“I have to go.” The man took Wanda’s hand and placed a kiss over her knuckles._

_Wanda looked at the man, reaching out as panic clouded her eyes. “No, Vision. Vision, if that's true… Then maybe going isn't the best idea.”_

_“Vision?” Clint was so confused. Why was she calling a human Vision? And why does the stranger look exactly like Victor? He didn’t understand what Wanda was trying to show him. Didn’t understand what any of this had to do with the man named Victor Shade._

_“Vision!”_

_A scream echoed through the street, cutting Clint from his thoughts. But his body stood stock still when he saw the human man, the man who he thought was Victor Shade, get stabbed from behind and phased into the synthezoid he once fought and being thrown helplessly to the ground._

Clint gasped and groaned, moving away from Wanda’s hold as he pressed the heels of his palms against his forehead. “Whatthefuckwasthat. Whatthefuckwasthat. Whatthefuckwasthat.” He repeated.

“Before the raft, Vision was able to master creating a disguise. It's like how he makes his clothes only this one, he created a new identity.” Wanda spoke softly and calmly as she looked at Clint who was trying to recover from the memory. “He was able to create a disguise with the face of Victor Shade.” 

“He what?” Clint asked, dropping himself on the couch and closing his eyes in the process.

“I don’t know how and why he chose Victor's face if he ever did copy him, but that’s a fact we have to accept. And somehow, their paths have crossed and now it's crossing with mine.”

“What does Victor have to do with Vision?”

“I saw Victor the other day. On Vision’s 10th birthday. I was at Stan’s and he sat in the booth Vision and I always occupied. Then he was in Central Park. Feeding the ducks along the bench Vision and I always sat on as well. Vision always fed the ducks on his birthday.”

“So? Couldn’t that be pure coincidence?” Clint looked up at Wanda and she could see that he was looking at her like she was a confused child.

“He called me by my name. And he kept asking if we have met. And when I held his hand, I felt something familiar. I felt Vision.” Her voice was filled with hope and her eyes beamed with certainty that maybe her speculations are right. That there was a sliver of chance that Vision has come back in the body of Victor Shade. "He even has his eyes and his voice. Well, not exactly Vision's voice. Victor's pitch is a bit lower but you would think that they do have the same one. I- I just know that it's him Clint. I just do."

“But he could have just known you from past news articles. You are an Avenger after all and your face isn’t unrecognizable.” Clint chuckled and stood from the couch once he felt better, his hands moving to scan any more information about Victor. "And you said Vision probably copied this man's image. Maybe he copied his eyes too to really blend in." 

“You said you would keep an open mind. You promised, Clint.” Wanda’s voice was sad and angry. “I thought I could trust you with this.” Her eyes started glowing red, scarlet lacing around her clenched fists. 

Her heart was filled with hope. Filled with the possibility that her love was back. She didn't want to keep it to herself as she didn't know how to handle it on her own. She needed support to ground her. But the support she had was mocking her in her face and she felt betrayed.

“Hey.. Hey..” Clint took Wanda’s hands and looked at her with apologetic eyes. “I’m sorry.” He sounded sincere. “I just- I don’t want you to get hurt again. I know what you felt when he was killed. I felt that too with Nat.” His head hung low and ran his hand over his face, releasing a sigh. “You’re probably right. Maybe what you think is correct. You felt something.. I didn’t, and it’s good that you’re going with your gut. But please promise me something..”

“What?” The red in Wanda's eyes were mixing with the green. Her fingers flexing as the scarlet tendrils stayed wrapped around her hands.

“If you end up being wrong, and I’m not saying that you are, but if you end up being wrong, please move on.” He smiled sadly and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to loosen her fists, the red fading from her hands and eyes. “I know it’s hard. Moving on is never easy. But we have to do it to help us get back with our lives. I don’t personally know Vision, and I know he dislikes me for what I did to both of you, but I’m positive he wouldn’t want you keeping yourself from enjoying what life has to offer.”

Tears began prickling down Wanda’s face, the words of Clint carving deep inside her. He was right after all, she wasn’t a hundred percent sure that her speculations were correct. But she knows what she saw and she knows what she felt and she knows that it was Vision.

“If it’s any consolation, he lives in New York now.” Clint moved his hand and a grainy CCTV image of Victor entering an apartment came to view. “Maybe you should pay him a visit? Talk to him?” A smile formed on Clint’s lips, his wrist twitching over the image, zooming out into an image of a map, the address hovering over her. 

“If your speculations are true, apologize to him for me, will you?” Clint chuckled.

“If my speculations are true, you can do it yourself.” Wanda smiled in return

* * * * * 

The night had already taken over and the blanket of lights slowly flooded over the bustling city. A yellow vehicle stopped at the side of a three-story building and Wanda pulled her coat tighter around her body as she stepped out into the windy street. She looked down at the card in her hand, checking if she was in the right place. _#3A 325 Oakwood St._ She looked up at the golden plate numbers nailed to the door, her heart rate rising when she saw that she was indeed in the right place.

“He won’t know you’re here if you don’t ring the doorbell, you know.” She looked at Clint and gave a nervous smile. “The worst that could happen is that he wouldn’t want to talk anyway.”

Wanda took a deep breath and walked herself up the three steps of the building and gave Clint a final look before she rang the doorbell of apartment number 3A. She felt her heart pounding rapidly in her rib cage, can feel it wanting to escape her body and run away from the city. She was going to talk to Victor. Talk to him about something that might sound undeniably crazy to human ears. 

She shook her head at Clint. “I can’t do this.” And started to make her way down the steps.

“Hello?” A voice came from the intercom, stopping her from her tracks. “Who is it?”

Clint gestured for her to go back, for her to show her face and to finally get over with the confusions that sat in their minds. 

“Hello?” The voice called again.

“Uhmm..Hi.” Wanda called back, her eyes glancing up at the box from where the voice came then immediately looked down at her shuffling feet. “It’s me, Wan-”

“Wanda.” The voice sounded happy. “Please come on up.” 

A loud buzz then sounds from the silver box of buttons.

“T-Thank you.” It was all she said and she looked down at Clint who in return gave her a thumbs up. 

Taking another deep breath to steady her entire being, Wanda pushed the apartment door open and walked in. She was questioning herself why she was pushing through with this crazy idea. Questioning why she didn’t let go of it when she had the chance. But she knew the answer. Knew that all her doubts and questions can only be answered by the man living in apartment 3A of 325 Oakwood St.

“He’s waiting.” Clint said from behind, giving Wanda a gentle push. “I’ll be right here. I got your back, Kid.”


	4. The Avengers Compound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers Compound is rebuilt, filled with old and new memories and now hidden from the world. But everyone is taken by surprise when FRIDAY announces an unexpected visitor.

Gray painted walls. Black and white furniture. A selection of art pieces on display.

The place felt all too familiar to Wanda, how it was decorated and how every furniture was placed. She analyzed the living space, taking in every detail it may offer to give more information about the mystery that is Victor Shade. 

She took a seat in the middle of the black L-shaped couch and looked at Victor who was in the kitchen, waiting for the water in the electric kettle to boil. He said he would be making tea - she sort of hoped that Vision's memories have brushed against his, giving him the knowledge of her preference of tea over coffee. But then she remembered that Victor was from London. _Do all English folks like tea?_

Surprisingly, Wanda was calm in the presence of Victor. Despite the fact that she came here to confront him of something that bothered her, she wasn’t fazed nor nervous, thinking that all of this was a huge mistake. 

Though on the cab ride to his apartment, she did have thoughts about turning the car around and just leaving everything behind. She wasn’t sure anyway if her theory was true. She wasn’t sure of anything. She only had her gut. She was even tempted to tell Clint to take her to the farm, hoping that the comfort of her surrogate family would ease the pain she was feeling in her heart. Hoping that a cuddle with Nathaniel would soothe everything. 

But no.

She had to go through with this. She wanted to go through with this. She wanted to know everything and she won’t miss any chances. She may have gone through with her gut, but she knows and feels that this was the right thing to do. For her. For her heart. For her peace.

“English Breakfast Tea with a side of honey.” Victor spoke, breaking her thoughts and making Wanda look up at him. “And a plate of butter cookies.” He placed the plate of cookies on the coffee table and took his seat on the single armchair across from her. 

“Thank you.” Wanda’s voice was small but appreciative of his hospitality.

She then reached over, taking the steaming mug of tea and poured the honey in. The only sound that filled the apartment was her spoon clinking against the ceramic as she stirred the mixture of tea and honey. 

She could feel that Victor was looking at her intently, as if studying her like an object or artifact. It wasn’t in a malicious manner but she felt conscious under his scrutinizing eyes, even if there was a possibility that it was Vision who was looking at her in that manner.

“So..” Victor broke the silence and Wanda’s head snapped in attention. “How did you find me?” His voice was calm. Not annoyed or displeased by her sudden visit but she cannot help but think otherwise.

Wanda took a sip from her tea, welcoming the soothing hot liquid down her throat, warming her being. She then held the mug with both hands, giving her undivided attention to her gracious host. “I researched you.” 

She saw Victor blink, confusion visible on his face. She wasn’t sure if her term was correct, but it was the truth. She and Clint did research about him. “When we last saw each other, I have to honestly admit that I was curious of who you were.” She started. “I don’t think it was a coincidence that you said that you felt like you knew me, so I had to know if our paths have crossed.”

“And what did you find out then? Did our paths somehow cross?”

She felt nervousness creep into her veins as she heard his question. She wasn’t sure if she should tell this man that the sole reason she was in his apartment was to confirm if the soul of her supposedly deceased boyfriend is inhabiting his body. 

She knew she would sound absolutely ridiculous because she already thinks that the whole thing is ridiculous to normal beings. Clint questioned her about this, so the percentage of this man in front of her questioning her theory is close to a hundred. And she doesn’t want to risk losing the only possible connection to Vision. 

She shook her head. 

Victor looked at her, seemingly unbelieving to her response and placed his arms on the arm rest as he leaned back against his seat. 

“During your supposed _research_ ,” He made a gesture with his hand. “I’m sure you found out about my accident?”

She nodded.

“The nurse who attended to me said that the first word I said upon gaining consciousness was _Wanda._ ” He started. “So they checked my records and tried to search for someone named Wanda and saw that there was none.”

Wanda wasn’t sure how to take in the information that was being fed to her. He said her name when he woke up. She felt that the puzzle in her mind was slowly solving and a clear picture will be presented to her really soon. 

“When I got home from the hospital, I felt that something has changed in me.” He locked his eyes on Wanda, which in return, she held his steady gaze. “I kept thinking why I said what I said when I woke up. It must be something of significance right? Like in the movies?” The question needed no answer but Wanda nodded her head anyway. “So I tried recalling. Tried my best to reach within my memory. And whenever I did, I felt like my body was ripping in half. Like there is something inside me that wants to come out.”

Another piece that fitted perfectly in her puzzle. If only she could reach in his mind and see what he meant, feel what he’s felt. Then maybe she’d have her answer by now. 

“Then I kept having these visions, these dreams. The skyline of New York, Edinburgh, me flying around some rocks then another of me being pushed through the ground.” Victor placed a hand on his chest, rubbing it gently as if it were in pain. “Then I saw the news about people disappearing, turning into specks of dust.” Wanda felt her body freeze. “They flashed an image of New York and I suddenly had this urge to move.”

Victor picked up his mug, his hands slightly shaking from his story, and took a tentative sip of his tea, clutching on the mug as if it was something to help keep him grounded. 

“The next thing I knew was that I quit my job, sold my apartment and bought a one-way ticket to New York. As soon as I landed, I felt that I belonged here, felt that I would be able to find answers here. I failed though.” He let out a sad sigh. “For five years, I walked aimlessly in hopes of finding some sort of lead. I wasn't sure what I was looking for but I knew I wouldn’t get answers sitting in my apartment.”

“I got frustrated though, so I started building a life. Found a job and lived like an ordinary New Yorker. But when the destruction happened, I felt a pull towards it.” He chuckled and shook his head. “As crazy as this may sound, I felt like I should have been part of that battle.” Wanda closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to relax her breathing, opening it once again to focus on Victor. “But we were evacuated. Two more years passed and I still had no lead. I felt that I was wasting my time here in New York. But all of that changed when I met you.”

“Was that why you said that you felt like you knew me?” She voiced out. 

He nodded and his eyes grew wide, some raw emotion surrounding his blue orbs. “When I saw you, I felt something spark in me. I’m not sure what it was or why, but I felt like you can give me answers.”

Wanda’s puzzle was almost complete. Can see the image forming beautifully in her mind. But she felt torn. She wanted to tell Victor that it was possibly Vision who was making him feel such things. Making him remember things that he never even experienced in the first place. Telling him would be stealing this man’s life from him and deep down, she wanted to be selfish.She wanted Vision back. But was it even right?

“I- I don’t know what answers I can give.” She looked down at her hands, her fingers tightening against the ceramic, trying to stay calm. “I don’t know how to help.”

The look he was giving her made her shift in her seat. She didn’t know what to do or say to try and convince him that she cannot help. She knows this to be a lie but she wasn’t sure anymore if she still wants to involve herself with him. 

“I read about you. You and the Avengers.” The hope in his voice burned deep in Wanda’s heart. “You have telepathic powers right?” She was startled when Victor moved to sit beside her on the couch, but keeping a polite distance between them. “If you can look in my mind, maybe you can see what’s wrong. What’s happening. _Please_.”

She shook her head and turned away, knowing that she would give in with a little more persuasion. Just like Victor, she wanted to know the truth. “I- I can’t.”

“It’s alright..” She heard him smile. “You can never hurt me.”

She was sure that her heart stopped. 

The tears rolled down her cheeks as she moved to face the man seated beside her. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Those words. One of his final words to her before he died. 

“Vision?” The tears wouldn’t stop and she didn’t make any effort to stop them. Her hand, as if it has a mind of its own, reached up and cupped the side of Victor’s face. “Is that you?”

There was a smile on Victor’s face as he leaned against her hand. His eyes grew soft and seemingly turned bluer than they originally were. She felt the familiar presence one again, the glow of gold emanating from the man in front of her. 

Her body stiffened and her breath hitched when he closed his eyes and turned his head to press a kiss on her palm. The sense of dejavu washing over her, making more tears flow down her face.

She felt _the_ connection. She felt him and she was sure of it. No one released the kind of glow that he did. The look in his eyes, the emotion it showed her was palpably familiar. It was Vision. Vision was inside of Victor and she can see him, feel him, wants to reach in and pull him out and hold him and tell him everything that she never got to say. To tell him that she loves him. 

But the connection broke when Victor groaned and pulled away. His hand clutching his head in pain. 

“Vizh?!” She called out, her hands reaching out to grab Victor’s face in a frantic panic. “What’s wrong?”

“Vizh?” The voice was hoarse, pain still evidently laced in it. “Who’s Vizh?”

And in just a snap, he was gone. Her Vision. Her Love. Once again out of reach. 

“I think I should go.” She stood up and Victor followed suit, looking at her with searching eyes and a hand still clutching the side of his head.

“I- I apologize. It must be my head again.” Victor was visibly frowning but Wanda already made her way towards the front door. “Will I see you again, Wanda?” His voice was hopeful.

“I don’t know.” Her back was facing him. She couldn’t dare take another look. She knew that if she did, she’d turn into a crying sob and it will make the situation more confusing than it already is. But she couldn’t help but feel hopeful as well. “If the universe permits it. We’ll never know. But you should drink some paracetamol for that.”

Before he could even say another word, she made her way out the door and ran down the stairs of the apartment as fast as she could. 

Her heart grew heavy and she felt so lost. Vision was there, within her grasp. But he disappeared just as quickly as he came. It was her Vision. Her love and she knew it. She felt it. She was finally sure of it.

“How’d it g-” 

Clint was cut off when Wanda threw her arms around him, sobbing hard on his shoulder. She heard him ask what happened, why she was crying, but she couldn't dare herself to speak for she knew that she won't be able to form any words but just continuously bawl her heart out. 

That's what she felt. Her heart being ripped out of her once again. She didn't understand what she had done for the universe to treat her cruelly like this. She knew she had her time in the dark but hasn't she atoned for all the wrong she had caused? Hasn't she proved herself worthy enough to receive at least a little happiness in her life? All the universe ever did was take. First her parents, then Pietro and now, Vision. When will be the time for it to give?

Clint hailed a cab and guided Wanda inside the vehicle, heading back to her apartment. But she couldn't stay there. She didn't trust herself to be alone. 

They packed up her stuff, a simple duffel bag with a few clothing items and left the apartment. There was only one place in the world that would help her calm down. One place that had no memories of Vision. The place she was sure Victor Shade would never see her.

* * * * *

"Good work, Team!” Steve called out in the training room, making the Avengers look his way. “Tomorrow, we will be working on individual performances. I expect to see a good show.” 

The first training day of the Avengers went surprisingly great. Even with a 2 year rest, they never lost their spark. Sam performed amazing maneuvers with his wings. Rhodey’s War Machine suit was now powered by nanotechnology - a gift from Tony. Scott’s Ant-Man suit was still the same though he’s been telling everyone that Hank will soon be giving him some wings (to which no one believed). A mini gun had been added to Bucky’s vibranium arm, an upgrade sponsored by Shuri and some new paintings courtesy of little Morgan Stark.

_“I think we should add more stars on your arm.” Morgan said with a wide smile, paint brush already in hand. Bucky just chuckled and offered his arm, allowing her to paint away._

The Avengers compound was built exactly how it was before. The living quarters were on the same floor, the kitchen was still adjacent to the living room and the new furniture decorating it similarly like the old one. It felt like home - except for the fact that two of the previous inhabitants no longer walked the halls of the compound. But still, it was home. It was Wanda’s home.

A picture of the **original six*** along with Vision, Wanda, Sam and Rhodey, just after the battle in Novi Grad, hung above the television in the living room. Steve said that it was a reminder of who they were before the chaos and to also help keep them grounded. 

A few of the rooms were even named after the fallen Avengers. _The Stark Workshop_ , where mechanics chosen by SHIELD would help upgrade transportation, armory and outfits that Avengers would need. _The Romanoff Training Center_ , named after Natasha for her being known as one of the people who made sure the Avengers were in tiptop shape for battle. And the _Vision Laboratory_. This was Bruce’s and Helen Cho’s work space. Named after their creation with Tony and Thor. It was also the place where the entire security system of the compound was controlled by JARVIS’ successor, FRIDAY.

What Wanda loved the most about the compound were the individual photos of Tony, Natasha and Vision hanging over the fireplace in the living room. She'd always stop by it, looking at the portraits that showed courage, sacrifice and love. It was also a reminder, to the new Avengers, of what they are fighting for. Vision's photo wasn't as handsome as the ones that she has but she still loved it. Loved how his sacrifice was recognized and how he was seen as a true hero rather than the robot people previously claimed him to be.

“Hey..” Steve called out, making Sam and Wanda look up at him, stopping their conversation. 

“Hey Cap!” Sam said with a happy expression and Wanda just nodded.

“So, how’s the move? Everything okay in the compound?” The Captain asked, his eyes lingering at both his team mates then at Wanda. “You feeling okay, Wanda?”

She nodded, a small smile forming on her lips and her thumb rubbing against the mug in her hand. “It always feels like something is missing.” She looked at the family portrait above the television. “But it’s home.” 

“And we are your family.” Sam interjected, clinking his coffee mug against Wanda’s before finishing the contents. “You got your dad over here,” Sam nodded towards Steve. “your big brothers and your favorite big brother.” He grinned and gestured his hands down his body. “And your little b-”

 **_“Captain Rogers, someone has passed through the perimeter.”_ **FRIDAY interrupted their conversation, a hologram popping up in the middle of the living room, showing a top view of the entire compound and a blinking red dot closing in on the supposed protective force field.

T’Challa and Shuri has contributed greatly to the Avengers ever since the final battle. Vibranium has been shared to create new weapons and armor, communicator beads that are connected directly to FRIDAY were also provided to every Avenger and just like the kingdom of Wakanda, the compound was hidden beneath a protective barrier in hopes to keep the Avengers lives as private as possible and to avoid any unearthly enemies from seeking their location. 

“FRIDAY, zoom in on the intruder.” Steve ordered.

The video feed zoomed in on the unknown visitor, revealing a tall, blond man in a yellow jumper, seemingly walking passed the trees as if he was searching for something. 

“Victor!” Wanda gasped under her breath, making Steve and Sam look at her with deep curiosity etched on their faces.

**_“Intruder has entered the fifteen meter safety zone. Warning Shots will commence.”_ **

“FRIDAY! N-” 

Two gunshots echoed in the video feed and outside the compound, making them look out the compound and the rest of the Avengers run towards them.

“What’s wrong, Cap?” Rhodey’s hand already on his chest, ready to activate his suit. “Trouble?” 

Bucky came after Rhodey, his vibranium arm already rippling for combat. 

“False alarm, Team.” Steve told everyone, looking towards Bruce who appeared from the lab, giving him a gentle shake of his head to which Bruce acknowledged in return, retreating back, then facing everyone who has gathered in the room.

“FRIDAY, halt all precautionary defenses and send a message to the entire compound that the gunshots were from a firing practice.” 

**_“Right away, Captain.”_ **

Wanda looked at the hologram video, watching Victor stand still, his arms raised in surrender as he looked around the vicinity. She then turned her eyes towards Steve and Sam who was looking at her intently.

“Who’s he?” Sam broke the silence and Wanda turned her attention back to the hologram. 

“He’s just some guy I know.” She responded.

“Then why is this _some guy_ in compound territory? Did you tell him our location?” Steve asked in a calm tone of voice but it was evident that he was disappointed.

She shook her head and gave out a resigned sigh. “Don’t you trust me?” Her voice was laced with annoyance. “Look, just let me go down there and talk to him, convince him to turn away.” She looked at them with a tilt of her head. “Would that be better?”

Steve held her gaze then gave her a nod, moving to have himself sit back on the couch. 

“I’ll come with.” 

“I can take care of myself.” Wanda kept walking towards the front door.

“I know. I just wanna see what the drama is about.” Sam grinned and wiggled his eyebrows in a playful manner and Wanda rolled her eyes in amusement.

As soon as they both arrived at the edge of the barrier, Wanda lifted her hand and closed her eyes, scarlet mist leaving her palms as she tried to reach for Victor’s mind. It was a simple task. Instruct him to go and turn away just like how she did with the civilians in Sokovia. She kept herself grounded and slowly slipped herself in Victor’s mind. 

_“You are entering private property. Please turn away now.”_

“Hello?”

_“You are entering private property. Please turn away now.”_

“Who am I talking to?”

_“You are entering private property. Please turn away now.”_

Her link to his mind went quiet and she assumed that Victor already turned away. She moved to give Sam a reassuring smile who gave her a thumbs up in return as they made their way back inside. 

_“Wanda?”_

She stopped in her tracks when she heard her name. The voice that echoed inside her head being recognized by her heart. 

_“Vision? Is that you?”_ She turned around and faced the barrier, looking at the image of Victor standing stock still, facing her and Sam.

_“I apologize if I’ve startled you. But yes, it is I.”_

“Wanda?!” Sam shouted when she ran back towards the force field, her eyes filled with tears when she finally heard Vision’s voice. Finally communicating back.

 _“Vision!”_ She cried both in her mind and out loud and pressed her hands against the barrier when she reached him, Victor doing the same. She felt his glow, his calming presence that engulfed her whole being and it overwhelmed her with so much emotion - happiness, sadness, guilt, love, so much love - all at once. _“It is you.”_

_“I’m sorry it took me long to find you, Darling. And communication is not easy in my current situation.”_

She looked into Victor’s eyes, the tears never seizing, seeing the blue that she knows so well, that her heart has memorized. This is him. Her Vision. She’s finally connected with him.

_“It doesn’t matter, Vizh. What’s important is that you’re here. We’re together.”_

_“But not for long.”_ Victor’s lips curved upside down. _“I can only take hold of Victor for such a period. I just wanted to know if you’re alright.”_

 _“How long do we have, Vizh?”_ She got frantic. Her fingers clawing on the force field, wanting to command the barrier away.

_“I don’t know.”_

Wanda closed her eyes and shook her head, her heartbeat racing as she thought of what she wanted to say to Vision. There were so many. Starting with apologizing for failing him, for allowing Thanos to get to him, for having his sacrifice put to vain. She wanted to tell him about Tony, about Natasha, about how they won and about the rest of the team. But she started with what she should have said since the beginning.

_“I love you, Vision. With all my heart. With all my soul. With all my mind. I love you, My Vision. And I’m sorry you never got to hear it.”_

Her fingers clenched into fists, her breath hitched and her tears flowed a hundred fold as she transmitted those words to him. It was the truth and she would never hide it. Now that she knew that Vision was indeed back, she won’t try to hide anything about her feelings towards him anymore. 

_“But I’ve heard it now. And I love you too, my darling Wanda.”_

Victor dipped his head and pressed his forehead against the barrier and Wanda did the same. Her’s and Vision’s mind were linked and they can feel everything the other was feeling. She saw that Victor started crying. And all she wanted to do was reach out and kiss those tears away.

And just when everything seemed calm, Victor let out a scream of pain, his hand clutching his head as he dropped to the ground. Wanda felt her link to Vision break. The golden glow and the calm of his mind vanishing into thin air. 

Wanda stepped back and Sam caught her before she could fall to the ground herself. They both watched Victor writhe in pain and clutch his head with both hands, Sam looking at Wanda’s shock stricken face in confusion. He started saying commands in his communicator beads but they were all a blur, not understanding a single word.

“What happened?” He asked in a hurry, dragging Wanda back in the compound.

“I-” She just shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself, pulling away from Sam’s hold and running back into the compound and into her room.

She slammed the door shut, her chest heaving heavily as she dropped herself on the floor of her bedroom. She couldn’t believe it. She communicated with Vision and she finally told him that she loves him too. But it wasn’t enough. Saying the words she ached to tell him was not enough to extinguish the flame of longing in her heart. 

She thought it would be enough. She thought that this was her unfinished business. That once it was done, she would finally move on. But the longing ached deeper in her. She merely did not want to talk to him, she wanted him back. She knows that he’s here, that his soul is alive. But she wanted him physically back. Where she can hold him and he can hold her and whisper sweet nothings into her ear to help her calm down when she feels like a mess, to do the things they used to do in the compound - reading, watching movies, cooking and baking for the team - where they can kiss each other senseless and sweet. 

“Wanda?” It was Steve calling out from her room. “Is everything alright?”

“Leave me alone.” Her voice was hushed and she didn’t care if Steve heard her or not.

“What happened out there? Let’s talk about this, Wanda. _Please._ ”

“I SAID LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!”

Her eyes glowed a fiery red and scarlet energy burst out from her body, making the room shake and her furniture float in mid-air. There was no one who can talk her down, no one to calm her down, because the only person who can do such a thing was out of her reach and she has no idea how she can get him back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this was a confusing chapter. But just to enlighten you, Wanda was talking to Vision through Victor's body.  
> I hope you would continue to give this story some love and kudos and comments are highly appreciated.
> 
> Original Six* - I wanted that Bruce never left after AoU.
> 
> I have tumblr // beanstalk007


	5. Team. Friends. Family.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The relationship of Wanda and the Avengers shift after Chapter 4. But Wanda receives a peptalk from one of her best friends and realizes that she can rely on the people surrounding her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay on this chapter. TBH, it kinda got hard putting my ideas into words. But here it is, finally! I hope you guys enjoy ^^

The earth shook violently, red fog filling the air. The loud banging on the door slowly faded into nothing as her emotions consumed her, drowning her in her thoughts. She couldn’t believe what had just happened and she couldn’t accept the fact that this is what her life has become, what her life with Vision has turned out to be. 

She looked at her hands, seeing the scarlet energy seeping out of her body and closed her eyes in an attempt to control her powers. But her thoughts were raging wildly, her heart was beating in an uncontrollable rate and her tears would not stop pouring out from her eyes. She could only feel her powers getting stronger, the energy engulfing her along with her devastation.

“Wanda!” She felt strong hands grab unto her arms. “Fight it, Wanda! Fight it!”

She looked up and shook her head, the tears falling non-stop as her body shook violently from the immense emotion and power that surrounded her. “I- I can’t..”

A stabbing pain then blossomed at the side of her neck, her body going limp as she fell to the ground. She kept whispering. The name of Vision slipping from her lips, a silent prayer to every deity she could think of to give her back the man she loves. She then felt her body lift from the ground, multiple voices rambling around her before she completely drifted into nothingness.

* * * * *

The bright light made her wince, shutting her eyes tighter before she can even open them. The beeping that resonated on her right ear immediately told her that she was in the Medical Facility of the compound. 

Wanda groaned at the sharp pain she felt on her temple as she tried to move her body, attempting to push herself out of bed. She didn’t want to be confined in the Medical Facility any longer. She wanted to go far away and just release whatever pain that clawed within her soul.

“Slow down, Red.” A soft voice called out along with a hand wrapping around her aching ones. “The drugs are still wearing off.”

“Light.” She managed to let out. “Very bright.”

She heard a chair move against the hospital floor then the light gradually dimmed, allowing her to slowly open her eyes and blink out the blurry vision before focusing on the man sitting by her bed.

“Sam..what happened?” She asked with a raspy voice. “How long was I out?”

“Almost two days now.” Sam sighed, placing a syringe on the table beside him before looking at Wanda apologetically. “We had to keep sedating you every time your powers came out.” He rubbed his nape and looked at the still full syringe. “We didn’t know what would happen, what you could do if you were unconscious. So we had to keep you at bay. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Wanda said as she looked down at the IV needle attached to the back of her palm. “I think you did the right thing.”

A long silence filled the room, only the beeping sound of the heart rate monitor and the breathing of Sam filled her ears. But her thoughts suddenly moved towards Victor. The last thing she remembered was him screaming behind the protective barrier, his hands clutching his head in pain. She never saw what happened after. Never even cared to go back to check on the man that carried Vision’s soul. Vision was the only one that mattered to her, not Victor. But a sudden pang of guilt filled her senses, making her regret not going back for him.

“We sent him home.” Sam stated. “That guy outside the dome.”

Wanda turned her focus back to Sam. Keeping her emotions at bay. Showing him nothing but a blank canvass at the mention of Victor’s name.

“We couldn’t just leave him there, so we brought him in. He couldn’t remember why he was where he was.” He continued. “He told us about his accident and said that it could have possibly triggered the pain he felt.” Sam moved closer to Wanda, his eyes searching hers. But she stayed strong and kept the barricade up to prevent him from coming in. “What happened, Wanda? Who was he?”

“I want to rest.” It was all she said and moved to turn her body away from Sam. She closed her eyes and sank herself back into darkness.

Although the routine of the compound has gone back to normal, the relationship between Wanda and the Avengers shifted intensely. They trained and ate together like they always did, but Wanda stayed detached towards her surroundings and everybody, including Sam who was one of her closest friends. Steve would sometimes make advances, asking her how she was when he catches her alone. But she would just look at him with distant eyes and leave his presence with saying a word.

She felt their concern for her grew greatly each passing day. Even the people she wasn’t very well acquainted with, Hope Van Dyne and Carol Danvers, expressed their worries when they see her. And she was guilty with how she was treating them when all they wanted was to help. But the mere thought of them not understanding what she was going through was enough reason for her to shut them out. To just endure the pain alone. She was used to it anyway.

She mostly stayed in her room after training and meals, hiding herself in the corner of her bed and crying herself to sleep as she kept recalling the incident at the barrier. She was happy that Vision finally knew what she felt for him and that, even as the years passed, he still felt the same for her. But she wanted more.

The hunger for Vision just kept growing and growing inside Wanda. The love they had for each other fueling her desires to get Vision back by any means possible. But she didn’t know how. And the thought of robbing another man’s life just to give herself the happiness she always wanted made her stomach turn in distaste. If she was still the troubled and revengeful girl back then, encouraging Vision to fully take over Victor’s body would be a piece of cake. But she’s changed. Changed for the collective good. Changed for herself. And she knew deep down that Vision would be disappointed with such decision for he will always side with life. But he loves her, would it be possible for him to side with her on this if ever she decides to coax him to take over?

Wanda woke up in a jolt when another nightmare came one night. Her entire body drenched in sweat as she sat up from her bed, slowly taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. She’d once thought that her nightmare filled nights have finally ended, that she had already passed that phase of her life. But after that fateful day of meeting Victor, it was like she’s back to when she first arrived in the compound - small, afraid and alone.

Once she was sure that she could stand on her own, she got her cardigan and tied her hair up in a bun before making her way out to the kitchen to make herself some tea. 

As her feet padded against the cold floors of the compound, she felt like she was blasted back to the past. The quiet hall of rooms housing the sleeping souls of the Avengers, the kitchen bar lights that illuminated the vast living area and the life of New York City glowing amongst the trees that surrounded the facility. The only thing missing was the synthetic being floating around the compound, admiring the life that surrounded him. 

As the water boiled and she filled her mug, dunking the tea bag three times before dumping it in the trash and drizzling some honey for added taste. She then made her way to the living area and sat herself on the comfortable couch, making herself small as she tucked her legs underneath her and enjoyed the New York lights that glowed from afar.

The atmosphere was calming, the tension between her and the team absent in the evening. And, as much as it was something she shouldn’t enjoy, she did. No one asking questions, no one staring in curiosity or concern and no one pressuring her with their willingness to help. It was only her, her tea and her thoughts running wild in the darkness.

“Can’t sleep?” 

She blinked and felt her shoulders tense when she heard Sam call out from behind her. She didn’t try to turn and face him, to welcome him in her alone time. She just stared ahead, her eyes glued to the floor to ceiling window in front of her, letting him move about wherever he wished.

“Is it another nightmare?” He asked and she just remained silent.

Sam took a seat on the single arm chair just beside her, keeping his gaze on the window as well. 

Wanda didn’t know what to do now that she wasn’t alone. The tension was back in her system, her fingers tightening around the mug as she thought of the questions Sam would ask her again. As a result, she closed her eyes and wished that Sam would just go away, just leave her alone, similar to what kids did when they thought there was a monster in their closet.

“I know you’re not ready to talk about what happened, Wanda. And I won’t force it out of you. But don’t forget that if things get tough, you can always talk to me.” She heard him sigh. “We’re not just a team. We’re friends. We’re family. Right?” And she can sense the sadness and worry laced in his voice.

The memory of Vision being patient with her suddenly came surging in. How she closed herself off from everyone since the death of Pietro, thinking that no one would understand what she was going through. But Vision waited until she was ready to open up and he was always there for her whenever she broke down and needed someone to share her burden. He was always there. Just like how the team was for her.

They weren’t giving her strange looks like before. Now, they looked at her with concern and worry and care. These were the people she saved the goddamn universe with. The people she killed Vision for. And she felt terrible as she finally realizes how shitty of a friend she has become. 

“Thank you.” She managed to say and turned her head to look at Sam who in return gave her a soft smile.

“We’re always here for you, Kid. You don’t have to carry it alone.”

She nodded.

“No rush. Talk when you feel like it.” He smiled once more before moving to leave.

“What if it’s something beyond human comprehension? Something you won’t understand?”

“Try me.” Sam interrupted. “We talk to Raccoons now, alien life forms exist, some guy in space thinks Missouri is not in earth and I came back to life two years ago. I dunno if you noticed, but we are surrounded by weirdness.” He chuckled. “So whatever it is you’re harboring, I’m sure it’ll be a three on the weird scale.”

She kept her eyes locked on Sam as he finally went back to his room, understanding and absorbing everything he said. He was right. Nothing is normal anymore as long as they’re involved and the reincarnation of Vision would probably be a mundane dilemma than battling Thanos.

After her talk with Sam, Wanda decided that it was time she made it up to the team. The change in her attitude was noticed by everyone when she made them breakfast that morning. Everyone couldn’t believe what was happening but they didn’t question her intentions and instead thanked her for her kindness and dove into the waffles she prepared. She even earned a double thumbs up from Sam who was grinning from ear to ear as he stuffed his mouth with the breakfast treat.

She never shied away or ignored everyone that tried to talk to her, she started to become engaging again, bringing back the life she had before the incident at the barrier. Wanda even became more focused in trainings and more sociable during meal times and in the mandatory hang outs Sam had scheduled every friday night. It was obvious that the team was happy with her change, even Rhodey gave her a clap on the back saying that it was good to have her back to which she deeply appreciated. 

She also started engaging in conversations with Steve whenever he initiated one. Never excusing herself or moving away before he gets the chance to stop by her. Answering with a smile whenever he asks her how she was doing or praising her for a good performance in training. And she can see in their Captain’s eyes that he was proud of her progress.

Everyone was sprawled on the floor and couch when the last bottle of beer Sam and Rhodey bought for their friday night hang out was placed loudly on the coffee table. Earth, Wind and Fire was playing through the speakers and everyone who got alcohol in their system either hummed along to the song or groaned from intoxication.

Wanda chuckled at how childlike her teammates were as she settled the empty bottles of beer on the coffee table, cleaning up their mess. She was thankful that her powers were such a big help in cleaning up the now trashed living room. She was also thankful than she can lift people, dumping the men on the couch who started babbling about being Dumbo. She wondered how Natasha was able to handle them after nights like this with no powers to help her. How she would wrangle up her drunk teammates and possibly stop any pissing contest that would happen. She missed her so much. 

She walked to the kitchen after placing the last bottle in the recycling basket and flipped the coffee maker to life after filling it with the new grounds Hope gifted them. Taking out mugs, she lined them up along the counter before filling it up with the freshly brewed coffee and smiling up at Steve when she sees him join her in the kitchen.

“Coffee, Captain?” She asked and handed out a mug to which he took with a smile.

“Thanks for cleaning up, Maximoff.” Steve said after taking a sip of the hot beverage.

“It’s no big deal.” She smiled and lifted her hands, scarlet energy seeping from her fingers as she carefully levitated the coffee filled mugs towards the coffee table, chuckling when Sam groans awake and takes one immediately, scalding his tongue in the process.

“How are you holding up?” Steve asked and Wanda noticed his expression shifting from relaxed to worry.

Wanda nodded and drummed her fingers against the kitchen island, a small smile on her lips. “I’m fine, Steve. And I never got the chance to apologize for what happened, for how I treated you guys.” She looked down and unconsciously bit her lip, peeling up the dried skin. “Things got out of hand and controlling was just too hard. I’m sorry.”

Wanda looked up when she felt a hand rest on the top of her head, giving her hair a gentle caress. “That’s what the team is for. We help you keep grounded when things get shaky. Trust us a little.” Steve said with a smile, eventually pulling Wanda into a hug. “It’s good to have you back.”

The sun was already peeking from the trees, painting the sky purple, pink, blue and yellow when the others made their way to their rooms. Steve was kind enough to postpone their training on Monday, considering the hangover that was bound to happen and for everyone to enjoy the weekend and get themselves conditioned in the new training simulation Steve has prepared.

Instead of heading to bed, Wanda sat herself on the now vacant yet warm couch, watching the sunrise from the glass window. She enjoyed the calmness the scenery brought her, enjoyed the beauty of nature, of simple things around her. She imagined Vision watching the sunrise and admiring its beauty when he sees it for the first time from the compound. She wondered what was running through his mind as he experienced something entirely familiar and new all the same. She envisioned his facial expressions, if he smiled or stared in awe, if he furrowed his eyebrows in contemplation of the events happening before him. 

_God, she missed him._

The realization that she was crying finally dawned on her when a single tear fell on her hand. She sighed at herself and pulled her knees up against her chest, holding them close, making herself small. Small in hopes that her troubles would turn small as well and just disappear. But that’s not the case. She knows that deep down, as long as she knows that Vision is out there inhabiting some stranger, and having it his only means of living, all the shit happening in her life wasn’t going away anytime soon.

“You feeling alright?” She blinked her tears away and looked up when she felt a hand press against her head. Sam, seemingly all sobered up, sat on the same seat when they had that late night conversation.

“Yeah.” Wanda sniffled and pressed the heel of her palms against her eyes in an attempt to push back her tears. “Just..thinking about him.”

“You miss him.” His voice was soft.

“So..much.” A strangled sob and sigh mixed in her voice, betraying her answer to his question. And all her efforts of wiping her tears away became useless as a new set began rolling down her face, making her hide and give in to her misery

She felt Sam’s arm wrap around her in a half hug, his hand clutching her shoulder, feeling like a hurt puppy being pacified when he alternately rubbed and squeezed it. Wanda was thankful for his company though. Thankful that he was there to help put back her broken pieces. But a small part, or maybe a huge part of her wished that it was the synthetic being with a calming smile holding her at that moment, taking all the pain away.

“I miss him too.” He chuckled. “All his floating around and being such a gentleman and Mr. Know-it-all.” And there was sadness in his voice.

Wanda looked up at Sam, eyes wide and wet and full of raw emotion. “He’s alive, Sam.”

Sam arched an eyebrow, looking at her like she had big ears. “Who is? Vision?” He asked.

Wanda nodded. “He’s alive, Sam and I don’t know what to do.” Her body began to shake, her eyes brimming with tears and her voice turning hoarse as she cried from the wash of emotions. 

The feeling of being lost was back. The black hole in her chest clawing at her, sucking her soul, pulling her being into a dark abyss of pain, misery and desperation. She wanted to tell Sam what she was going through, to possibly seek help in figuring out how to resolve the dilemma that keeps gnawing at the back of her head: How to get Vision back.

“Calm down, Wanda.” Sam called as he placed both his hands on her shoulders. “Control it. Don’t let your emotions consume you.”

They were both covered in scarlet fog, the living room slowly drowning in her powers and she could see the worry in her friend’s eyes. She closed her eyes and concentrated into dispersing the mist, sucking it all back in her. And when she heard Sam’s relieved sigh, she knew she was successful.

“See? That wasn’t so bad right?” He smiled and placed a hand on her head, petting her like she was a puppy. “Now..about Vision being alive. How is it possible?”

Taking a deep breath, Wanda moved to sit herself properly on the couch and began telling Sam everything she knew right from the start.

“Before you found us in Edinburgh, Vision had this human disguise. It’s similar to how he makes his clothes except this time, he made himself an identity.” She explained. “And Vision’s human form and Victor look exactly alike. Pale skin, blond hair, pointed nose and thin lips. His eyes were the same shade of blue and his voice. You’d know it was him.”

As she started explaining the history of Vision and Victor, Wanda couldn’t help but be cautious towards Sam’s reaction. She secretly waited for Sam to tell her that she was out of her mind, that all of it was merely a coincidence just like how Clint first reacted. But it never came. And it urged her to continue further.

“I saw Victor on Vision’s birthday. At Stan’s and at Central Park. The places Vision and I frequent. And when he saw me, he said that he felt like he knew me.” Wanda clasped her hands together tight as the memories slowly flooded in. “I got curious. So I contacted Clint and requested a full background check on him.”

“And what did you find?”

“He’s an orphan in London. No parents, no relatives, alone.” Wanda stared down at the coffee table upon remembering the files she and Clint had gathered, concentrating to provide every important detail. “Like what he mentioned to you, he got into an accident. Was declared DOA when he was brought in but was luckily revived. But he got into a coma. 2 months and the doctors didn’t know if he was still going to wake up.” Wanda’s eyes shot back at Sam. “But he woke up, Sam. He woke up on the 2nd of May.”

“2nd of May. That’s the day after..”

“Yes.” She cut him off, confirming his question. “I found his address here in New York and I talked to him. I had to know. Had to be sure. And he said when he woke up, he felt that he had to be here in New York. And when the final battle came, he said that he had this urge to be there, to be with us.”

“What are you getting at?” Sam’s voice was now laced in bewilderment, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“He asked me to look in his mind. He knows what I'm capable of, knows who I am and he was willing for me to poke in.” She hadn’t realized that she was smiling as she remembered Victor’s willingness to submit to her powers. “Even if we are friends, I know you guys won’t allow me to just look inside, but he was and we barely know each other. He doesn’t even know the full capacity of my powers yet he was willing.”

“Then I felt him. I felt Vision. His presence, his glow, his soul. I felt him, Sam.” She was crying again, the first encounter with Vision since he was gone all too fresh in her memory. “He told me the exact words he said before Thanos. Before he was..”

“That’s why you called Vision’s name..at the barrier.” Sam looked at her fragile state and Wanda nodded in response.

“He was there, Sam. He reached back.” A smile slowly kissed Wanda’s lips. “I finally told him how I felt about him. Finally told him that I love him and he said he loves me too. That he still loves me.” But the smile faded just as fast as it came. “Then he was gone. And Victor was back and I almost put the compound to ruins.”

“Hey! For the record, it was only a mild shake. Bruce didn’t even feel a thing.” Sam joked which earned him a small smile from his friend. “But..does this Victor know? That Vision lives in him?”

Wanda shook her head.

“I think he has to know.” Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Vision lives in him and he’s confused and disoriented to why he feels what he feels and why he’s where he is. He doesn’t know what is happening to him because it’s Vision’s feelings he is feeling, Vision’s memories he is accessing.” He lets out a sigh and gives Wanda’s head a gentle pat. “It’s unfair to Victor that he’s getting in between all this strangeness. Unfair that, I’m not accusing Vision of anything, but it’s unfair that he is using Victor’s body without his permission. You should talk to him. I can come with you if you want me to. Help you explain.” 

It was true. Everything Sam said. About everything being unfair for Victor. It was all true. It had already been unfair since he decided to move to New York in the hope of finding answers to the questions he didn’t know he was asking. If her suspicions were true, it was Vision’s decision to move to New York. Vision’s consciousness clouding over Victor’s and instructing him to leave everything he has in London and venture off to New York. To go back to where he came from. To go back to his home. To go back to Wanda. She wondered if he even considered going to Wakanda. To go back to the fight.

Her thoughts then moved to Victor feeling those jolts of headaches. How she remembered Vision feeling the exact same pain before he was.. She knew that it wasn’t something a normal human being could endure, having to experience your body splitting in half as what he said just because his soul, his mind was battling for dominance with Vision’s, seeing which one was stronger to completely take over the other. To have full control of the human vessel. To have another shot in life.

But talking to Victor would not be enough. She had to tell Vision too. Had to tell him that whatever he was doing, whatever it was that was happening between him and Victor has to stop.

She felt her heart clench in pain, her breath hitching as a sob escaped her throat just by thinking about telling Vision they couldn’t see each other anymore or be with each other anymore because someone is suffering. That an innocent being is suffering in exchange of their happiness. 

But they both suffered too. They suffered and sacrificed so much. _Don’t we both deserve a win just this once?_ Torn by friends with different opinions, then torn by the obligation of saving the universe. _Can’t we think about ourselves this time? Be selfish? Be happy?_ They’ve only been able to reach out to each other two times, and it wasn’t enough. She knows that it will never be enough. Everything that involved Vision will never be enough. 

_We just wanted time. We just wanted time. We just wanted time._ It’s all she can hear in her head. The continuous echo of her voice as she told Natasha their reason for not keeping in check. _We just wanted time._ She wanted to scream it to the universe. Scream it to everyone. Scream it to every deity that has placed her and Vision in this predicament. _We just wanted time._ Was it too much to ask? Was it too much for her to want happiness? Was it too much to ask for Vision to have the happiness he deserved? Does he not get a prize for sacrificing himself for saving half the universe? Does he not get a win? _We just wanted more time._

“Okay..” She managed to say passed the lump in her throat, her eyes raw and filled with sadness, despair and grief as she looked at Sam. “When can we go?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you to the people who have been following this story. I appreciate all the comments and kudos that you guys give. It makes my heart all chubby and happy.  
> Please tell me which part you liked most on this chapter or the others. I'd also like to hear your opinions. If I made any mistakes, please don't be afraid to call me out on it. uwu  
> Thank you once again and hopefully the next chapter will be posted sooner than later ^^


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